A better edited version is on my archive site. EricMurphey | Archive of Our Own

I will be posting here ever few days. There when I complete the chapter as I have been doing. Wish you all a happy holiday season.

Eric

My First Christmas

Part 1

By Eric Murphey

I wake up and feel a lump in my bed.

"Why are you in my bed? You have a bed, right over there." I tell Bo.

He licks my face.

"Fine. Im going to go pee and then we need to get you out to use the restroom. Weve only been here two weeks and I know that you havent smelled every tree on the 140 acres we got. Although it seems you have been trying."
I climb out of bed and go pee. I slip on some pants and a sweater. Grab socks and slip them on followed by some boots. I cant believe its just after Thanksgiving and we already have snow. Im not complaining I love the snow. Bo loves it too. He will shove his wet black nose in it and come up grinning. OK I think hes grinning. Hes a yellow lab and he does seem to like to play in the snow. Hes a puppy yet. OK not really hes five. But he acts like one. We moved here as I'm sure you figured out two weeks ago.

I'm 55 and decided I wanted to retire at 55 and stop working for other people, becuase honestly I dont like many people. My name you ask. Randy. OK Randall. But dont fucking call me that. Well, unless you want hit. Two people could all me Randall and they are both dead. My mother, and my grandmother. My dad never really called me Randall. He never really called me anything. Im pretty sure I was a big dissapointment to him. Here he is leader of a Kingdon Hall and his only son is a fag. OK thats not true. Im not gay. Well, kind of. I like boys, not men. I am very attrated to boys from the age of around six until about thirteen of fourteen. Im a pedo/hebephile. Meaning I like smooth boys and boys that are in the transtion into puberty. After they get a full bush and start cumming massive amounts Im no longer interested.
OK back on track here. I was an office manager for what seems like eterntiy. I saved everything I could for the last twenty years or so. I invested in rental properties and have a few dozen now. So when I plunked down $249,000 for a two bedroom 2 bathroom house on 140 acres it hurt a bit. But I am far from broke. I did pay cash I had thought about financing it. But thought I dont want that at all. My income from my rentals is around that a year now. I just simply didnt find a new property for passive income this year. I bought a place for myself. I had been living in a one bedroom partment I owned so I didnt have rent. All this room is nice.

I grab my coat and zip it up after I have it on. I grab a knit cap because its 20 or so. Certainly cool enough to wear a winter hat for sure. While Im doing this Bo is dancing back and forth. His toe nails clacking on teh hardwood floor. I have had him since he was twelve weeks old. I have trained him very well. I have never understood someone having dog and letting them do whatever they feel like when you get outside. When Im ready to go in I want him ready too. I wont chase him and he knows it. But he also knows if he doesnt listen he will be outside until Im good and ready to let him back in. He doesnt do that anymore. He tried it once when he was still a puppy. He didnt like being in the cold for several hours. But he is a good dog. No he isnt. Hes a great dog. Hes always there for me. He will do whatever I ask of him. Other than stay out of my bed when Im sleeping. Which isnt so bad. I just prefer him not too is all.

I open the door and start walking into the woods. Bo is racing around like hes lost any sense he has ever had. Im roaming around like he is checking out the property We have an open area in the center thats about 3 acres I figure I will use for a garden. Im confused how its open But its lush or seems to be. The grss before the snow looked nice. Im not a guy tht knows much about soil. I know its there and thats about it. I tredging through the eight inches we got last night and hear voices in the distance. I motion to Bo to come next to me. I will not have paohers on my land. Im not saying this is a sanctuary for animals. But if anyone is going to eat them it will be me. Not that i plan on it. I hunt meat at the store. I hunt for specials. Bo has his ears percked up because Im sure he heard them before I did. We slowly work our way through the woods to find the voices.

I put my hand down so he will stay next to me. We get closer and I can hear them. It sounds like boys. I crest a small hill and see them.

"Come on Kev pick a tree already. I dont know why you even want one. It aint like any presents will be under it."
"I know Jake. But it will kinda be like before."
"It aint never gonna be like it was before dad died."
"Come on Jake you said oyu would help me."
"Im helping aint I?"
"Yeah but you been complaining the whole way."

"Im sorry Kev. Im just hungry is all.'
"Mom does her best."
"I know she does Kev I know. Its just we had two packs of oatmeal. I cant wait until we get food stamps again. Just seems they is never enough of them."

"Prolly cuz we is so hungry when we gets em that we eat like we aint never ate before."

I see the boys both have black hair. Both in coats that really should be heavier. Kev is the younger one and Jake is the older. If I was to guess Kev is nine or very close and Jake is eleven or so. Could be ten or twelve. But I think eleven for some reason.

Shit havent had breakfast yet either. Im starving. But Im sure having more than a pack of oatmeal. I wonder when they are going to get more food? I swear what I did was altruistic. I waved for Bo to go greet them. He takes off and I hide so they cant see me.

"Ah a dog. Hes gonna eat me." Kev shouts out in fear.

"He aint gonna eat you. Hes a nice dog. See hes sniffing my balls."
Thats my dog I think.

I walk away from them and slip down the hill.

"Bo? Where you at boy?" I shout and I hear him taking off towards me.

I crest the hill again this time allowing myself to be seen.

"There you are you attention hound. Well, go on back and get the loving from them you want." he takes off back towards the boys who arent exactlly sure how to react to me. They havent ever set eyes on me before. So its hard to say how they should feel.

I walk down.

"Hi boys Im Randy and I see you have met Bo." I nod as they are both petting him. Hes an attention whore for sure. "We just moved in a couple weeks ago up the way. I was just getting ready to head back and have some pancakes I think. Would you like to join me.?"
I see Kev look at Jake with pleading eyes and I see a little nod.

"If it isnt putting you out any sir." Jake answers for them.

"No its not putting me out at all. Might be nice having some company. Bo and I are alone most of the time. Hey would you boys be interested in some work around here. Make a few dollars helping me out. Nothing too hard. Just helping me do things like cut up the felled trees in the woods and carry them to the house so I can use them in the fire place. Of course I will cut it you boys just haul it."
"Whats it pay?" Jake asks me.

"I dont know. I hadnt actually thought about hiring anyone to help me with it. But it does make sense. Why dont we head up to the house and get warmed up some and have some breakfast and we can talk about it. Hows that sound?"
Jake nods and we all start heading off towards the house. I notice the boys are in sneakers. Not even good ones and also ones that have seen much better days. Im pretty sure these boys could use some money to help them out. I wonder how there dad died and what their mom does for a living. Around here there arent a lot of good job oppurtunities. Im guessing either the local Burger King or a waitress. Either way the pay is not too great. Of course its New York so it is better than a lot of places. But still minimum wage is just that. A minimum. I have noticed in my life that the less someone gets paid the harder they have to work. I got paid pretty well and sat on my ass all day. Makes no sense to me. Never has and I dont guess it ever will.

We get back to the house and I go into the mud room. I like having it becuase it gives a break from the very cold weather we have in north central New York. Lake effect snow and cold stay out better that way. I sit on teh bench and the boys follow suit and they take off their sneakers and I take off my boots.
"You boys scks are wet it looks like. Give them here and I will toss them in the dryer a few minutes and they will be taosty and dry.

"You dont have to."
"I know. But Im feeling nice today." I tell him and grin.

They both take off their socks and I go and toss them in the dryer. I figure five minutes or so they will be dry. I walk back out and the boys are standing in the doorway from the mudroom to the kitchen.

"Come on in boys. I usually make myself some hot chocolate when I get back from Bo and my walks. Ill just make a bit more since you boys are here and we can get warmed up. Bitter out today. Now climb up there at the bar and I will get some started." I get out the milk and put it in a pan. I get out the stuff I will need for pancakes too.

"You boys like blueberries. I got some at the store the other day. Might be nice mixed into the pancakes. Sound good or no?"
I see smiles.

"You dont have to."
"I know. Just feeling nice today." I tell him again and smile. "So do you like them?"
"Yes sir." They both answer.

"Good."
I get them out as well stir the milk and add the chcolate mix into it.

"Why you using milk?" Jake asks me.

"I like it better that way. Its more creamy and tastes nicer. I will let you try it and see which way you like it better."
They are just watching me get things together. I pour us all a cup of hot chocolate. I havent had it in ages. I shouldnt lie to them. But I dont think they would have said yes to it if I didnt have some too. I just have that feeling. These boys arent takers. I think if they absolutely needed something they would take it. But otherwise I dont think so. I give them their cups and warn them its very hot.

They blow on it and it looks so cute their little lips pushed out like that. I like seeing their naked feet with the jeans too. Its sexy to me. Not sure why. But I gave up trying to figure out why things attract me years ago. I would have gone mad otherwise.

"Man this is good."Jake says.
"Yea it is. Best I ever had before." Kev agrees.

"So its good with the milk then?"
"It sure is." Kev says grinning and then blows on it to take another sip.

"Im glad you like it. Bo seriously get your nose out of his crotch." Jake just smiles at me as he is pushing Bo's head away. Wish I was a dog right now. Dogs can do shove their noses up into a boys crotch and they giggle. An old guy does it and they dont giggle Im sure.

I get the pancake mix done and fold in the blueberrys and start them to cooking.

"So I was thinking about how much pay. I figure I can afford about ten dollars an hour to help. I know its not even minimum wage. But I'm not a business and it wont be too hard. I figure with all the trees out there we can work a couple hours a day if you boys want to that is."
"Shoot that sounds good to us." Jake says answering for them both. Kevin is nodding his head in agreement.

"Are you boys out for the holiday break yet or no?"
"No we get out on Wednesday for that." Kevin tells me.

"Oh thats good. So since its Saturday. It is Sasturday right?" I ask not really sure.

They giggle at me. I flip a pancake.

"Sine I retired I dont really pay attention to things like that. So I figure I need to get to town and get some things at the store. I could use some help with that as well. If you boys are good with that as well? No probablly not. You would have to get your parents permission first. I couldnt just take you into town with me. Not in this day and age. People would think I was trying to do nefarious things to you."
"Whats that word?" Jake asks.

"Which word?"
"The nefari something"
"Oh nefarious. It means evil or wicked."
"Oh."

"Our mom wont mind. Shes at work anyway. She works at the diner just up the road a little ways. We can call her if you got a phone." Jake says not wanting to miss out on some money that is to be made.

"Why dont you do that. Because I have to go to town to get cash to pay you boys anyway. If she wants we can stop and she can meet me. Its the silver diner she works at?"
"Yeah thats the one."
I have no idea what its called but it has silver on it and makes it shiny. I have eaten there a few times. Well, Ive been here two weeks and eaten there four times. Maybe I do eat there a lot. But they have a nice Ruben and whats not to like about that.

"Alright lets eat first then call her, and see what she says."
I put two pancakes on our plates and hand Kev the butter and set the syrup on the table.

"Thanks for the pancakes sir." Jake says.

"Yeah sorry for forgetting but thanks sir."

"Just call me Randy."
"I dont think our mom would like that." Jake tells me.

"We will see when we talk to her."

I sit down and point at Bo and to his bed because he is begging and I wont have that. He looks at me like, really dude? But he does as I asked him. He curls up and goes to sleep.

"Do you boys do well in school?"
"Kev is super smart. But I do OK too. But I have to try pretty hard to get good grades. Kev just shows up and he gets em."
"You my young friend are like me. I had to work hard to get good grades too. Guys like your brother are lucky."
"Who you telling?" he replies and Kevin is smiling while he eats.

"I forgot milk." I say getting up to get us three glasses. I pour it and bring it back over.

"Thanks." Kev says as he takes the glass and has a drink.

"Yes thank you." Jake tells me when I put his in front of him.

We eat and I go get the boys socks from the dryer and hand them to them.

They quickly slip them on.

While I was gone they had taken their plates and rinsed them off and put them in the sink.

"That was nice of you boys to do that. Saves me time later."
"Its the least we could do for some good pancakes sir." Jake says.

I can tell hes being honest with his words. I can tell they both appreciated it. I tell you I thought manners in boys was a thing of the past. I see boys at the store all the time and they are all screaming and yelling saying they want this and that. Acting like entitled little shits. But I think these two are different. I suppose time will tell.

"So where do you boys live?"
"In the trailer court."
"Oh so not too far then. Just through my woods."
"Yes sir." Jake says.

"Let me grab my phone and you can call your mom and make sure its OK that you go with me, and help me out around here."

"How come you aint got no Christmas stuff up?" Kevin asks me.

"I dont celebrate holidays." I answer.

"Why not?"

"Kevin." Jake says harshly.

"Nah its OK. I was raised Jehovahs Witness and they dont celebrate holidays. They think that we should celebrate the birth of Jesus every day not just on a special day. Or some such horse shit anyway. I didnt really pay attention to it. But I also see no reason for it me being by myself and all. Well, me and Bo. I dont see him getting me gifts, and I give him gifts all the time."
"Yeah wee got a boy in our class thats one of them. He dont celebrate his birthday or nothing neither." Jake tells us.

"Thats right. They dont celebrate anything."
"That seems silly." Kevin says so perfectly.

"I suppose it is. Maybe I should put up a few decorations. Yes I think I will. I like that idea." I say thinking I do like the idea.

"Yes I think I like the idea a lot. I have never celebrated Christmas before. I think I like this idea more and more." I say grinning thinking of all the lights and a tree and all the other holiday shit that people have.

"So you never had Christmas before?" Kevin asks me.

"Nope, but Im going to this year, and you boys are gonna help. I mean seeing as how I know nothing about it. Ill need some help. I got some nice trees out back. I figure use one of those. Hey you guys got a tree? If not we can get you a nice one too." I remember why they were first here. But Im getting excited at thinking of this.

I hand Jake my phone and he dials his mothers number.

"Hi mom its me. No its the guy that lives in the house that just sold........No we arent bothering him.........Seriouslly mom we arent. He offered to pay us to help him bring in wood from his woods. He said he would pay us ten dollars an hour. But, he said we had to have your permission first. He said he needs to go to town and get some things and he needs help with that too. So he says we can stop by and you can meet him if you want first."
He waits s minute listening.

"Sure OK we will be there in a while.....I love you too."
He hangs up and hands me my phone.

"She said it sounds good to her. But she does want to meet you first."

"I figured she would. Well, lets get this show on the road." I say and go and grab my boots and slip them on. They get their shoes and do the same. We get our coats and slip them on and we ggo to my truck to go for me to meet their mom. OK I call it a truck. But its an Escalade. One of my few frivelous pruchases. Its 4 years old now and I bought it when it was a year old. But its still very nice. I didnt get it to impress anyone I just liked it and wanted it.

"Nice car." Jake says as he climbs in the back, and I admire his ass crammed into those jeans. Almost like they were sprayed on.

I climb in the front and the boys both buckle themselves in as do I and we head to the diner. I pull in to the front and the boys are out and in before I have my door shut. They are fast thats a certainty.

As Im walking up the steps I see through the windows they are jumping up and down telling her things. I open the door.

"...and hes got a real neat dog too." Kevin tells her.

"It must be a neat dog if you like it." she says and rubs his head.

"Yeah he is big and he scared me at first. But hes nice."
I walk up and greet her holding out my hand.

"Hi Im Randy Stiles. Ive asked the boys to call me Randy but they dont think you would approve. But it is what I would prefer. If thats OK with you. I dont want to step on your toes."
"Now I want them to have respect for people. But, if prefer it then thats what they will do. They said you have some work for them to do?"

"I do. I had planned on cutting up the felled trees in the woods and use that to help heat my house. Of course the boys wont deal with anything dangerous They will just be lugging it up to the house for me. It will be long and boring work. But I figure with two helpers it will be less boring and a lot faster. Again if thats OK with you."
"No its fine with me. If they dont do what you ask them then send them home. I wont have them taking advantage of someone becuase they are nice. They will earn that money or they wont get it." she says firmly and looking at me. I know its directed at them.

"I was thinking that I should at least pay them minimum wage. I feel like I would be taking advantage if I paid them less becuase they are younger. If I hired someone to help it would probably cost me at least $20 an hour. I figure that they would work pretty good. But I think two boys would do more work than one person. So I think that I will get the extra work for the extra pay."
"You better." she says looking at the boys.

"I also needed to go to town to get some things as well. I asked the boys to come and help if its alright with you. Im just going to the Walmart. I also asked them to help me get some Christmas stuff because Kevin asked me why I didnt have any. I told him I was brought up Jehovahs Witness and we just never did celebrate anything. I havent been in decades but I guess with it just being me all these years I never saw a point in it. But they kind of inspired me to decorate at least this year. Honestly Im kind of excited about it. So I was thinking that I could use there help in the woods until dark. Then feed them some supper and then they can help me decorate until say 8 or 9 if thats OK."
"Yeah I work doubles all this week. So that will actually relieve some stress from me. I worry about them when they are home alone."
"Well, they seem like very nice boys so far. Not like the boys I see at the stores crying for everything. If they want and its alright with you they can keep an old man and his dog company in the evenings. You can just pick them up on your way home or I can drop them off. Either way is fine with me."
"I cant afford to pay you." she says looking down like being poor is something to be ashamed of.

"Who wants pay? I just think some company would be nice. Im not really a very outgoing person and spend a lot of my time alone. I think it might be nice having them around. I promise though if they get on my nerves I will send them home."
"You do that." she says smiling. "But, you are right. I dont know what I did to deserve them. They are both good boys. Now you boys listen to what Randy tells you. If you dont you heard what he will do. If he has to do that then we will have a discussion about it."
I see them both rubbing their behinds subconciously.

"We understand momma." They answer her.

"Oh Im sorry. My name is Rita Witherspoon." she says holding out her hand to shake mine again.

"Im very pleased to meet you."
"You have before you order a Ruben everytime you come in."
"I like Rubens."
"Im not saying its a bad thing. They are pretty tasty. But I remebered you when we were talking."

"I guess we better get started on our tasks. Come on boys."
"You be good and do as he asks." she warns them again.

We get in the truck and head to Walmart. We arrive without incident. Always a good thing. I park away from the other cars. I really like my Escalade and plan on having it another few years anyway. I want it to be as perfect when I get rid of it as when I got it. Its a nice vehicle and cost a lot of money too. I dont waste money and not taking care of something would be jsut that.

We walk in the store.

"Alright boys one of you grab a cart and I will grab one too. Lets go shopping."

We head straight to Christmas stuff. I load up a cart full. I went a little crazy I know. But they had this little village that looked so cool. I got most of the pieces for it. I got some cotton batting I could spread around like its snow. I head to the boys department next.

"Alright since we are going to be working outside I need to get you boys some good winter boots to keep your feet dry and warm and a heavier coat too."
"No sir thats not right. We cant take it."
"I dont see why not. Its part of the job. OK your mom she goes to work and she has to have certain things to work. Like a pad, pen and stuff like that. She needs it for her work so the boss gets it for her. Its part of having workers you have to get them what they need. For us being outside then you need these things."
I see Jake thinking about it. But like he said before Kevin is smart.

"Yeah but he dont buy her shoes and stuff. She has to buy them. So its not the same." Kevin answers.
"But you need them its only 20 outside and you guys have to admit it was cold out there this morning."

"It was cold." They admit.

"So you got to have them becuase we will be outside a couple hours at a time. So you need them."
"OK. But we dont get no pay until its paid off." Jake counters.
"Well, thats not good either. How about the extra $5 an hour I told your mom about we put that towards it and then you boys still get the original ten an hour?"
"But.…"
"No I think thats fair and what we are going to do." I cut off Jake before he could say anything else to object. Its how its going to be and I will pad their hours so they still get the money.

They nod in agreement. We go to the front and pay. After I added some long underwear and some thick socks to the cart. I told them that they werent paying for these I am and they will like it.

They nodded their agreement. We get it all loaded and I must say I went a little crazy with the decorations. But I think it will be fun and I havent had a lot of fun in my life. We get back and unload everything. I have them put on the long underwear and thick socks and then the new coats. I get a couple of knit caps from my closet and put them on their heads. Bo, the boys and I head out to the woods to get some wood. I had planned on doing this. In the spring time. But now is better for the boys.